The Norway-based Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra are releasing a live album today titled “The Broken Circle Sessions” (on all streaming platform, Bandcamp and physical sales through Amazon). Their sound is described as a fusion of Nashville Bluegrass and New Orleans Jazz. However, there is far more at play in these vibrant live sessions recorded in front of a sold-out audience featuring a powerhouse lineup of 15 musicians on stage. Considering the numbers, their versatility is very clear, as you can hear on their album opener Heaven and Hell; the live video for which is premiered below.
The cinematic brooding opening of Heaven and Hell plays like a fusion of Calexico and Ry Cooder’s Paris, Texas film score, a sound more at home in the lonesome desert than the cold climes of Norway. From there, we head into Appalachian territory with Rebekka Nilsson’s ‘high lonesome’ vocals sounding perfectly at home in those distant lands. Such large numbers can often over-enrich music but they manage to deliver a sensitive rendition which is quite beautiful and highly engaging.
Heaven and Hell was originally featured as the first track on “Migrants”, the band 2021 debut album, which debuted 4th on the Billboard Charts and was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy. For this live album, the mysterious pirate tune has been equipped with seven more instrumentalists, which makes the full powerhouse lineup count 15 people on stage. The song tells the story of regret and questioning past decisions.
Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra & The Broken Circle Sessions Band:
Rebekka Nilsson – vocals
Joakim Borgen – vocals and mandolin
Moa Meinich – fiddle and backing vocals
Ole Enggrav – guitar
Jonas Wøien Olsen – upright bass
Magnus Eriksrud – banjo
Emil Brattested – dobro and pedal steel
Sjur Marqvardsen – accordion and backing vocals
Håvard Gressum Antonsen – piano
Emil Borgen – drums
Jon Henrik Rubach – saxofone/clarinet
Sindre Blostrupmoen Mølmen – trumpet
Sigurd Drågen – trombone
Arranged for horns by Eivind Hannisdal
Find out more here: http://www.hayde.no